HAVE you ever sat staring at a task, knowing exactly what needs to be done, yet feeling your body almost glued to the chair?
Your mind keeps circling around it – replaying the worry, possible mistakes and fear of doing it wrong. At the same time, there is the dull guilt of not having started. It becomes a strange mix of anxiety and avoidance as if you are trapped in
a loop. This is procrastination, not just a delay in action but a state where the mind creates a hallucinated fear of something that has not even happened.
Psychologists call part of this pattern temporal discounting, where the brain overvalues immediate comfort and undervalues future rewards.
In other words, it is easier to reach for the phone, rearrange the desk or decide to “start fresh tomorrow” than it is to face the discomfort of beginning now.
Steven Pressfield, in his book Do the Work, describes this avoidance as “Resistance” with a capital “R”. He portrays it as a persistent, shape-shifting force that shows up every time we attempt something important, whether it is creative, professional or deeply personal.
Resistance has many disguises: self-doubt, distraction, perfectionism and even over-preparation. It thrives on delay and gains strength every time we choose the comfort of postponement over the discomfort of progress.
Pressfield’s point is simple but piercing: Resistance will never go away entirely but it loses power the moment we take decisive action.
The more often we confront it, the weaker it becomes in our daily lives.
You may have experienced it in everyday life – the report that sits untouched until the night before the deadline, the email you keep meaning to send but cannot
bring yourself to type, the medical check-up you keep postponing, telling yourself you are too busy.
In all of these, the cost of starting exists almost entirely in the mind, yet it can feel as real as a physical barrier. Waiting for the perfect moment to start is a trap. Readiness grows through action, not before it.
One small beginning – opening a file, writing a single sentence, sending an email – can be enough to break through the inertia. These modest starts bypass the mental weight of
the bigger picture and make it harder for procrastination to take hold.
There is also a biological layer to consider – the act of anticipating a task that feels difficult
or unpleasant triggers the brain’s threat detection system, releasing stress hormones that make avoidance seem like the safer choice.
At the same time, easy distractions – scrolling, snacking, checking messages – deliver small dopamine hits, creating a quick reward loop. Over time, the brain learns to prefer these small hits over the deeper, delayed satisfaction of completing the meaningful task.
Anchoring your work to a simple ritual can help interrupt this cycle. This could be making a cup of tea before sitting down to write, listening to a short piece of music before starting a workout or choosing a specific time of day to consistently begin.
Over time, these cues train your brain to
shift into action mode without relying on unpredictable bursts of willpower. Even rearranging your workspace – closing unrelated browser tabs, silencing notifications or placing only the materials you need within reach – can send a signal that this is time for focus.
Keeping promises to yourself is equally important. If you commit to doing one meaningful task each day and follow through, you can strengthen self-trust. This trust is what makes it easier to keep showing up, even when the task feels uncomfortable or uncertain.
Procrastination often hides a quieter fear – the fear of imperfection, judgement or wasted effort. Avoidance may shield you from these feelings temporarily but it also blocks progress. Facing them in small, controlled steps allows you to build resilience without feeling overwhelmed.
Reframing the task as practice rather than a test of worth can also help, with each action being a chance to learn and not a final verdict
on your ability.
There are practical techniques that can make starting easier. The “two-minute rule” can work by lowering the entry point. If something takes less than two minutes to start, do it immediately.
The “five-minute start” builds on this by committing to just five minutes of focused
work, often leading to continued effort once
you begin.
The 30-to-60 rule is a simple way to beat procrastination, whereby you set a timer for 30 to 60 minutes and give your full attention to just one task. No distractions, no multitasking.
To make these focused bursts even more effective, add a couple of proven hacks. Try temptation-bundling by pairing the task with something you enjoy, like sipping your
favourite latte while sorting emails or use implementation intentions by deciding exactly when and where you will do it, such as “tomorrow at 8am, I will sit at the kitchen table and work on my slides until the timer rings”. This way, you are not just working; you are setting yourself up to actually follow through.
While a simple visual countdown timer can add healthy urgency, asking how you will feel about the choice can also reconnect you with long-term priorities.
Time will pass whether you act or not.
The difference between looking back with satisfaction or regret will be the moments where you either give in to delay or choose to begin.
When the moment comes – and it will – remember that the fear in your mind is only a shadow. The reality of starting is almost always lighter than you think.
Dr Praveena Rajendra is a certified mental health and awareness practitioner specialising in narcissistic abuse recovery. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
